Joe Biden's comment a few weeks ago linking paying more taxes with Patriotism has really stuck in my craw. His running mate's statements in the final debate ("no one likes paying taxes") are far closer to the truth, but in the end, I've found myself thinking about this patriotism/taxation nexus. And I've come to conclude that there may actually be a way in which paying more taxes IS patriotic. I mean, if Joe Biden wants to demonstrate his patriotism by paying extra income tax (essentially making a donation to the treasury), well then, he should. The key here is that such an additional payment MUST BE VOLUNTARY in order to be patriotic.
To this end, I'd like to see a line-item on the tax form enabling the taxpayer, should they warrant a refund, to decrement the amount of refund ( or increase the amount of a tax liability) in favor of a donation to the general treasury of the United States. Several readers here are quite fearful of the increase in our national debt--such a line item would give them the opportunity to personally address this fear through a selfless, voluntary donation to the treasury. I'm serious here. I actually think this would work...that the country could indeed raise additional tax revenue from people who claim to be undertaxed, who are quite proud to state that they are obviously receiving more benefit from the federal government than they are paying for (as there cannot possibly be any other rationale for deficit spending and debt increase). I honestly believe that if at the end of filling out my taxes, I found myself with a few hundred dollars of refund coming my way, I'd chip in an extra $50 to the treasury without batting an eye. I wouldn't do this because I feel undertaxed or because I feel like I get more benefit than I pay for...I'd do it because I love my country, she's in the outhouse financially right now, and I've got a few extra dollars to spare.
What do you think?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
6 comments:
Some might shave off a little of their refund but not me. When I think of how the government is going to spend that extra money it makes me ill. Right now I don't trust them with my money and feel they would waste any extra added. What about all the corporations and business owners who do not get refunds but have to mail in a check on April 15th? I bet they pay to the cent and would not even round up to the next dollar from $0.99 in the name of patriotism.
I would chip in if I was confident the money was going somewhere constructive. But I think it's more likely the money would go to ACORN.
But that's the point guys, this plan would be one way to be patriotic exactly because it is voluntary. It wouldn't be the only way of course, and continuing to grouse about taxes would indeed (in my opinion) continue to be patriotic. But this opens a whole new revenue stream. A friend opined at dinner tonight that he'd participate if the fund went SOLELY to retiring the national debt. Sounds good to me.
Maybe there should be a stipulation for matching dollars from the gov't. For every dollar donated by patriotic taxpayers, the gov't would have to trim the fat from some bloated, inefficient program.
and add to the amount paying down the debt. I'd be for that.
i like it. and i would love to see hollywood's "patriotism"...and nancy pelosi's, etc. but i also agree with everyone above...i've watched too many government officials treat our money as if it wasn't even real...and as if it wasn't even our money.
Post a Comment